About This Class

This course is an extension of Music Theory for Electronic Musicians, in which we learned how to work with the piano roll editor in a DAW to make harmonies, melodies, and whole tracks. In this class we expand on those ideas and work with minor keys, focus some time on melody writing and bassline writing, and talk about how different tracks work.

Extensive AnalysisThe most important part of this class is an extensive analysis of tracks by Daft Punk, Avicii, Skrillex, and many more. In each of these analysis segments, we look at their tracks on the piano roll editor, and talk about why they sound the way they do, and how you can use similar techniques in your own music. Each of these segments picks apart multiple elements of the song and dissects it in an easy to understand way.

Who should take this course? Anyone interested in producing their own tracks. This will get you up and running and give your tracks a unique sound in no time.

StructureThis course consists of video lectures, which all contain a session in Ableton Live 9. If you are using a different program (or none at all), no worries! This isn't a class on how to use Ableton Live, and the concepts can be applied to any DAW.

J. Anthony Allen has worn the hats of composer, producer, songwriter, engineer, sound designer, DJ, remix artist, multi-media artist, performer, inventor, and entrepreneur. Allen is a versatile creator whose diverse project experience ranges from works written for the Minnesota Orchestra to pieces developed for film, TV, and radio. An innovator in the field of electronic performance, Allen performs on a set of "glove" controllers, which he has designed, built, and programmed by himself. When ...